GM May Drop LFP EV Batteries for LMR Cells as 2027 Tennessee Output Starts
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 10
GM May Drop LFP EV Batteries for LMR Cells as 2027 Tennessee Output Starts
1 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 10
Summary
GM said it may stop pursuing lithium-iron phosphate batteries for future EVs, with battery chief Kurt Kelty calling lithium manganese-rich chemistry the company’s likely high-volume path.
LMR costs about the same as LFP to make in the U.S. but stores more energy at the same size and weight, giving GM a way to cut costs without sacrificing range.
The Tennessee joint-venture plant will begin producing LFP cells this month, though Kelty said those batteries are for energy-storage systems rather than GM electric vehicles.
That would set GM apart from Tesla, Ford, Rivian and Chinese automakers that have embraced cheaper, safer LFP packs as U.S. EV demand slows and buyers seek lower-priced models.
GM has worked on LMR for more than a decade and previously targeted 2028 U.S. commercial production, but technical hurdles including performance degradation still cloud wider industry adoption.